History of the Galaxy, part 1-Story Thread

[geoschmo]

Year 2419.7 The First Battle Of Narcisston

The Sallegan military strategists had analyzed the outcomes of all the previous fleet engagements involving the Norak. Their ships were larger, and more technologically advanced than the Sallgan ships. And the tailsman gave them a decisive advantage in combat. But their strategy had a glaring hole in it. If this could be taken advantage of, it could result in victory for the Republic. Or at least a chance at survival.

This weakness had actually been discovered after the first battle of Cephredi many years ago. While the Sallegans had been victorious in that battle, the Norak ships there were hopelessly outdated. Perhaps if the battle had gone against the Sallegans at that time, they would have taken more seriously the after battle report about the Norak weakness and preparations could have been made sooner to take advantage of it.

It wasn't until the Norak fleet annihilated the Sallegan fleet during the eastern rebellion that the Republic began to realize how deficient their technology was. The line given to the public was that the rebel fleet had been old ships ready for the scrap heap, or the museum. That the Norak ships had been bigger, and more advanced and naturally would have defeated them. There were even rumors spread that the Sallegan rebels had been led by inferior officers, and possibly even deferred to Sergetti masters.

But all this was, though not an out and out lie, certainly a half truth. The ships the rebels had commandeered had been older than the ships in Cephredi, but not that much. And they had a large numerical advantage over the Norak. Tactical reports received of the battle did not show any poor tactics at all. The officers in charge of the Rebels were after all highly trained Republic naval academy graduates, many with actual battle experience against the Xi'Chung and Sergetti. They simply couldn't get within range of their weapons and were blown out of space by the Norak from long range aided by their tailsmans.

Many simulations had been done following that battle, and the results were not much better even with the Sallegans top of the line warships. It was clear that something had to be done to prepare in the event political talks broke down and the Norak started an all out war. It was then that the old report from the first battle of Cephredi had been dug out, and this time it was taken more seriously.

The weakness was simple, and glaring. The Norak did not use point defense cannons. It was known that they did in fact have the technology, it had been seen on their early ship designs. But about the time the first tailsmans started appearing, the Norak ships mysteriously stopped having PDC onboard. It was not known why, perhaps it was some sort of cultural or religious taboo. Perhaps the Norak considered it a lack of faith. If so it was an interesting dichotomy, because they did not have any such aVersion to shield technology, or minesweepers.

It was also entirely possible that they simply felt that PDC were unnecessary as few of the major empires made much use of fighters or missiles, and PDC were of little use against anything else. The Sallegans themselves had many years ago phased missiles out of service, and ceased further research and development on the technology. They did have a sizeable number of fighters for defense in the homesystem, but at the time the Norak could not have known this.

The republic went on a crash program to research more advanced missiles, to build ships employing them, and to retrofit older designs with them. With the armistice signed after the end of the trouble with the eastern rebels, the fleet in Cephredi had been split up over two colonies and work began on retrofitting them as much as possible.

The new top of the line Ahmadabad battle cruiser was designed and as many as could be built, were built. This vessel have seven missile tubes, and with the advanced missiles being designed they could fire from a distance outside of the range of the Norak tailsman controlled Phased Poloran Beams. However, it was a race against the clock, and the clock ran out.

When the Norak moved on the fleets in Cephredi, the fleet being split up and too many being retrofitted at once meant that they could offer little but token resistance to the Norak fleet. As it was a few Norak ships were actually destroyed, better than could be hoped, but not good enough. The Republic could not afford a war of attrition with the Norak. Their empire was too large.

When the picket ship watching the Ashadra system to the south of Narcisston reported the approach of a second fleet of Norak attempting to flank the home system defenses, things looked bleak. The fleet entered the Sallega home system and quickly glassed two planets. It was clear that this was to be a bloody war. The Norak were not even bothering to bring troops with them. It was obvious to the Republic that their very existence was at stake.

There was much discussion as to how best to defend the home system. They senate wanted the fleet kept close to the homeworld. But Grandow knew that was bad policy. He couldn't sit back while the Norak glassed the planets around him and hope for a miracle. He had to do something. And he had his missile ace up his sleeve. He doubted the Norak would take seriously the few that managed to be brought into action in Cephredi. And even if they did, it was estimated this new fleet had departed the Norak space about the same time as the initial suprise attack. They could not have done anything about it that quickly.

The fleet was sent to meet the new Norak fleet. They did battle in sector 6,8. The two fleets engaged each other, and the Sallegan ships let loose their missiles as soon as they were in range. The main force of the Norak dreadnoughts went quickly. They did damage in return, but their phased polaron beams could not pierce the phased shielding of the Republic Battle Cruisers.

The Sallegan fighters moved in next in "large wing" formation. Over five hundred fighters, spilt into two massive Groups. It was a risky strategy. Collected together, the fighters couldn't cover as many targets, and they were easier to hit by the enemy. But the damage they could do grouped together was considered worth the risk. They swooped into action and each destroyed a single Norak warship with their first volley. There was no return fire. The Norak as expected had no PDC, and the few phased polaron beams that survived the initial moments of the firefight were trained on the Sallegan capital ships.

Grandow almost held out hope of total victory after the initial success. But the Norak had a suprise of their own waiting. Included in the fleet were several light cruisers of a new design. The Huron had no standard weaponry, but instead was exclusively armed with ionic beam weapons. These could skip through the Sallegan phased shielding and armor, and immediately burned out the remaining engines. The Sallegan missile ships could still fire, but they were dead in space.

After a few brief and bloody moments, the Norak fleet was reduced to a toothless shell of it's former self. The only weapons it had left were the ionic weapons that were good only against engines. These could not target the fighters at all. While the Sallegan fleet had lost several ships, they still had many more, and most of them still had all their weapons intact. But they could not pursue the Norak fleet. The fighter wings did their best to chase the Hurons down, but they unfortunately did not have any more speed than the Norak ships. They managed two more kills, but the remainder of the Hurons, and all the minesweepers the Norak brought were alive. They moved on past the Republic fleet and resumed course for the Republic homeworld.

Grandow had almost nothing left to stop them. The Norak fleet could not do any damage to the homeworld with only ionic weapons, but they could blockade them. And the Norak still had another fleet in Cephredi waiting to pounce.

[sachmo]

Yikes! Nice job by the intel boys...too bad no one listened at first!

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by sachmo:
Yikes! Nice job by the intel boys...too bad no one listened at first!

Ain't that how it always happens though?

[Jmenschenfresser]

2419.7
Raeghar's Demise

The great metal bLast door to Governor Pellwain's inner office slid open silently. A face she knew well walked solemnly into the room holding a disk before his person as if it were holy or royal. Pellwain looked up at her personal guard and lover, Gulkar, knowing full well her face looked hollow and pale.

"Have you seen the latest reports?" Gulkar asked?
She just nodded.
"The remnant of the Guarding Fleet is heading to rendevous with the incoming Moon Templars. Surely their combined might will not let this...this horror remain."
"My brother is dead, Gulkar. What is left is only the dream before death. Is that?..."
"Yes, Pellwain. Your brother's book, incomplete, The History of the Norak."
"My brother would never leave anything incomplete."

He handed her the disk and left the office. Now was the time for sober, independent thought...not tearful remorse. He left and headed straight for a barrel of booze.

Pellwain set the disk into the read and within seconds her brother's manuscript popped up before her eyes. He'd sent it to a friend on Xiban with the instructions to send it to her in case of his death. She quickly flipped to the Last page and began reading.

"We've passed into Sallega space. I smell death. Our fleet quickly dispatched an aging guard standing over the warp point his teeth revealed like a primitive unaware of his certain death. Of course the poor crew knew they were going to die, but they fought for their homeworld. I watched from the bridge, and after it was over I returned to my quarters and balled my eyes out. Their death, not the thousands in Cephedri, a system stained from end to end with blood, was the turning of a key to a door that cannot be closed. 'The belly of the beast,' he's said. The heart of the Sallega empire was not the reference, but the heart of the Norak empire. The closer we come to ultimate destruction, the bloodier our right hand becomes, the closer our left is to pricking the wall of our own black heart.

"We had little information coming into Narcisston. Apparently, there's a large fleet stationed over a distant planet. I am not sure if it is headed this way. I sit most of the day in my office talking to Elgart, my assistant, praying and meditating.There's little to do. Few of the crew come to see us. The Tribunals have taken the salt out of our religion. It is more a law of government than spiritual volition and obedience.

"Jumping quickly from planet to planet our fleet destroyed two of their worlds. I again watched from the bridge as our beams ignited their atmospheres. There was little resistance. As the fleet then began its journey to the third Sallegan world, the distant fleet was now just two sectors away and on an intercept course. Fleet commander Igar-Fil decided it best to try and flank the fleet, so we redirected to the Sallegan homeworld near the warp point leading into Organtrix.

"That night I had a dream, and in my dream I relived the ancient Plain's Wars of Xiban our homeworld. I saw as we rode great terara beasts into battle. We rode for their center. I listened and heard the might of our force as it rumbled over the rolling hills. Dust covered the size of our onrush. Primitive cries roared above the thunder of our attack. I felt that were we to stop we might well carve a gorge into the country side. I saw then the front lines of the enemy...yards back from where they were just minutes ago. We rode into what was effectively a corral of guns and cannons. I saw then the wings of our mighty calvary veer off and flee, and that brought me great distress. I watched as those brave idiots who rode into the trap fell in waves, their great beasts howling from the triple digit wounds they received before their thick hides and outer layers of bone could protect them no more. And the great attacker. The conquerer. The Kings of the North dwindled and warred amongst themselves to the point of chaos. No one lived but those who fled. And I saw them grow old and die in lands hewed by their own hands.

"I awoke and knew our time was at hand. I ran straightway to Elgart's bed and woke him. The Sallega fleet was not far off when I finally got him into a shuttle pod. In the two months I'd known him, I had grown fond of the young monk. Perhaps this was my Last deed. The Order was on the verge of extinction and I knew someone had to see and survive. Someone had to lead the Order and the Faith into the era beyond. I, Raeghar, having given two decades to the expansion and population of the galaxy must stay the course and ride in with the great warriors. With me dies the old order.

"So I gave Elgart a faked transfer and an excuse that one of the mine sweeper's priests had taken ill. I knew there would be no time for him to return before the battle. I pray I have done the right thing.

Pellwain closed the file. The words of her dead brother left her eyes dry. 'There's nothing to lament' she thought. She stood and looked out of her window at the city below. Her brother was right. The Continuum and the Sallegan Empire would not survive this. All that mattered was protecting the future. Deep inside Farzah space, she knew here they could hide. She could hide her millions from the destruction of the 'old order.' She turned quickly, hit three keys on the comm pad and waited for the ever grumpy voice of the Lord of Knoglam of the Farzah.

[Ragnarok]

Good story. Keep it up.

[geoschmo]

The Sallegan Republic had seemed a mighty empire. This was an impression that the Republic did it's best to reinforce in it's neighbors whenever possible. By stationing many ships in conspicuous locations throughout the border systems, and by sending scout ships to the far reaches of the quadrant they gave the impression of strength. But in fact this strength was a lie. The Republic was a bubble. Once popped, it contracted with a startling rapidity.

By making many treaties with the other empires, and by making constant and aggressive efforts to maintain the stability of the quadrant, it gave the Sallegans an air of authority and statesmanship with the other races. In fact the Republic depended heavily on the trade income from these treaties, and it's diplomatic efforts were simply a struggle for self preservation.

They were particularly dependant upon the good graces of the Norak. The treaty with the Norak accounted for almost 18% of the GDP of the Republic at the height of their growth, shortly before the first battle of Cephredi.

The Sallgans had been boxed in to their small part of the quadrant, an unable to expand and colonize. All the worlds they found early in their existence had been either occupied, or claimed by others. They could not take these worlds openly, as this would show them to be an aggressive imperialistic race, and force the others to band together early and eliminate them. And when they were provoked, by the Xi'Chung and the Sergetti into wars, the Norak were always there. Snapping up the best worlds that the Sallegans had fought to open up before they could get there.

The result of all this was that whenever the Sallegans did manage to expand a bit, the Norak were expanding right along with them. And when they were not able to expand, the Norak still grew. Not being able to compete economically, they attempted to compete militarily. But any accountant can tell you can't do one without the other.

When the end came it came quickly...

Year 2415.0

Captain Dravis Josephsen of the S.S.S. Ushphada was the ranking member of the Sallegan Space Service. He didn't know it for sure, but he suspected it. His ship had been part of the fleet tasked to finally bringing an end to the scourge of the Sergetti Empire in the eastern systems. He had actually been fourth in command of the fleet, but when the fleet was pounced by the Norak on the way back to Sallegan space the Admiral Grover's and Captain Robertson's ships had been destroyed. That left him in charge.

In fact, as there was currently no civilian authority still operating on any planet in the republic, the rioting was that complete, he was the ranking authority in the once mighty Sallegan Republic.

The call had come when they were just 3 days short of the eastern most Sergetti world. Tensions had been high, and Admiral Grover was not happy about being so far away from Sallegan space with things as hot as they were. When the broadcast came that the Norak had attacked and destroyed the fleet in Cephredi, Grover ordered the eastern fleet to make for home at top speed. The Sergetti were left to their own devices, they weren't the real threat anymore, as if they had ever been.

When the combat occurred in the Nizzarum system between the Sallgean and Norak forces, it was one of the few successes of the war for the Republic. Unfortunately the success was brief, and the heavy losses had put Captain Josephsen in charge.

About that time the Space Service went off the air. The Last communication received from the Narcisston system was that the Norak had glassed several colonies and were approaching the Homewolrd with a large force. The worst was assumed. Billions of Sallegans dead, the homewolrd a radioactive ruin.

The initial plan was for a fighting withdrawal through the Norak colonies in Usphada and to hopefully make it to the former Xi'Chung homeworld and to link up with any remaining stragglers from Narcisston and make a Last stand there. This plan was successful initially as the Nizarum and Usphada systems were lightly defended by the Norak. The fleet fought there way through several engagements, taking losses, but always being victorious. They were taking a big chunk out of the eastern part of the Norak empire. However shortly before reaching Organtrix, they received a message from the Xi'Chung homeworld, from some organization calling themselves the Xi'Chung liberation organization. They had resumed control of their planet and had signed a treaty with the Norak.

That left only one planet in the entire Sallegan Republic with more population greater than 100 million people. And it fell the next month. Josephsen knew they were whipped, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He was considering his options with his officers when they received a signal from the Norak requesting their surrender. The Norak representative that came aboard his ship gave the captain proof that the Norak had not in fact glassed the homeoworld. Many smaller colonies had unfortunately been lost, on both sides. But the bulk of the Sallegan race was still alive, and though they were now under the authority of the Norak, that was better then being dead Josephsen thought.

His men agreed, for the most part. It was one thing to give your life in a hopeless cause to exact revenge for the deaths of your entire family. But it was quite another to throw your life away when you could simply stop fighting and go home to that family, quite alive and well.

The flags were transferred, and the sun set on the Sallegan Republic for the Last time.

[Ragnarok]

Originally posted by geoschmo:
the sun set on the Sallegan Republic for the Last time.

*Tear*... So sorry to see your empire gone man. It was a great story. But I still look forward till the VERY end of the game. How many empires are left now?